I know that in Poland your dog has to gain several high gradings before being bred from. Is there any guidance to health testing. Or is it just to ensure quality doga are to be bred from? Many thanks

I don't know whether the dog we are hoping to use is an exception, but I was amazed at the number of tests he's had--heart, thyroid, eyes, hips, elbows--puts us to shame! The KC only recommends hips and eyes for our breed.

I think it also varies by breed, as they delegate a lot to the regional clubs who visit each litter to determine they are healthy AND PUREBRED BEFORE REGSITRATION IS (was) GRANTED,

They are (or were up to the early 90's) able to do this as the pedigree dog world during communism was almost non existent, so they basically started from scratch, and even now the number of dogs registered is not great compared to us.

Here is the Polish KC website and you can do translate this page thingy: http://www.zkwp.pl/zg/

Breeding regulations:

http://www.zkwp.pl/zg/regulaminy/Regulamin_hodowli_psow_rasowych.pdf

I know that in Poland your dog has to gain several high gradings before being bred from. Is there any guidance to health testing. Or is it just to ensure quality doga are to be bred from? Many thanks

KC is the all breed registration club here in UK. Apart from 2 breeds there are no mandatory restrictions or rules to breeding any pedigree dog here in UK.

In UK, if you have any dog with a pedigree you can breed and register the pups at KC, the UK breed registration club, the only mandatory thing is that you pay KC the registration fee.

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It is up to good breeders to have standards and many breed clubs apply standards to their members. 

Just because the British Kennel club does not apply stringent standards across the board to all those using it's registration services, does not mean that god breeders do not apply them to themselves.

When I first came into pedigree dogs (1988) buying a Belgian Shepherd Groenendael, as you say there were no restrictions (other than a dog being endorsed progeny not eligible for registration) to prevent the registration of any litter where the parents were both registered, the bitch in the litter breeders name, and with confirmation of mating from the stud dog owner.

Yet even then most breed clubs demanded a lot more (on a voluntary basis) from their members.

My pups parents were both Hip scored, the only screening needed at the time (they now are eye tested for hereditary cataract).

When I changed breeds in 1992, my breed clubs code of ethics http://www.necgb.co.uk/pge.php?page=11 was almost the same as now (other than the DNA test for prcd-PRA and the amalgamation of the KC general code of ethics).

Since the mid 90's some general rules have been brought in by the kennel club.

The first was a limit on the number of litters, initially to the statutory legal 6, but since to a limit of 4 litters.

Then the upper age limit (except for special pre-agreed cases) of 8 years.

Somewhat alter the minimum age at mating of over a year was brought in.

More recently no bitch that had two caesarean sections could have any further litter registered.

No litters from first degree relatives are allowed to be registered.

Good breeders do the RIGHT thing by choosing their breeding stock carefully for health temperament and breed type.

Poor breeders don't.

The only difference is that more poor breeders in other countries breed outside their kennel clubs.  Unregistered stock is a waste of genetic diversity to a breed. 

It has been much easier for relatively young and emerging kennel clubs to set strict breeding regulations right from the start, with much lower numbers, primarily the more educated and knowledgeable using their services, the vast majority (as more and more here) breeding outside it.

The UK kennel club does set stricter rules for members of it's Assured Breeders Scheme, of which I have been a member but will no longer be from the 1st of June.  I will of course continue to breed to the same standards, but don't see why I should be paying an extra (I already pay £20 for my Kennel name each year) £30 this year, rising to £45 next and then £60 the year after just to say that I do. When any person can register puppies for currently the same price, but shortly for just £2 per pup more.

I think those who buy my puppies can make up their own minds as to my standards, based on what they see when they visit (rather than what some UKAS tick box proforma says), and what I do, especially re health testing and the standard of my dogs.

So it is really up to buyers to educate themselves about a breed and find a breeder who breeds with high standards.

does not mean that god breeders do not apply them to themselves.

Heavens above, what will they claim next?
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Hehe that should read 'good breeders'

Closing this thread now as question has been asked and answered and is now going off at a tangent